Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act

This legislation, known as the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act, directs the Comptroller General of the United States to undertake a comprehensive review of all technical assistance authorities, initiatives, and programs of the Environmental Protection Agency related to clean water infrastructure. This review must be initiated within one year of the Act's enactment and aims to provide a detailed understanding of the EPA's efforts in this area. The review will specifically examine the EPA's Water Technical Assistance initiative (WaterTA) , detailing how providers are selected, coordinated with partners, and matched to community needs, including outreach to economically distressed communities. It will also describe the types and costs of assistance delivered and the outcomes achieved. Furthermore, the Comptroller General will analyze potential duplication among EPA programs, evaluate how technical assistance builds community capacity, and assess any unmet needs of economically distressed communities. Upon completion, the Comptroller General must submit a report to relevant congressional committees, outlining the findings of the review and providing recommendations for improvement. Subsequently, the EPA Administrator is required to submit a plan within 90 days, and annually for five years, detailing actions taken to comply with these recommendations. This ensures accountability and continuous improvement in the provision of clean water technical assistance.